January 10, 2009, 11:44PM

January 10, 2009, 11:12PM

Southwest Michigan First Chief Executive Officer Ron Kitchens, standing on East Michigan Avenue in downtown Kalamazoo, says Kalamazoo is ahead of the curve in dealing with the nation’s recession. “So we’re coming out of the cycle, pushing our way out,” he said. “So it isn’t that we’re so talented, so brilliant (or that) there’s something magic in the water. We’re...